Outlook: Kevin Rogers has replaced Gary Tranquill as offensive coordinator and Chase Rettig is now firmly established as the starting quarterback after taking control of the job as a true freshman midway through last season, which can’t help but be a boost to an attack that ranked dead last in the ACC in both scoring and total offense last season.

Harris

Now the question is, will star running back Montel Harris be healthy enough to carry the load on the ground for the Eagles has he has the past three years?

Harris, the ACC’s preseason Player of the Year, comes into his senior season just 1,003 yards shy of the league’s all-time rushing record. But after undergoing his second knee procedure since last November, one that will force him to miss at least the first two games, nothing is certain.

If Harris is slowed, sophomore Andre Williams is a capable replacement, but there are concerns about a rebuilt offensive line that must find a replacement for first-round NFL draft choice left tackle Anthony Costanzo.

Defensively, BC led the nation against the run last season, allowing just 82.8 yards per game, and ranked 14th in scoring (leading the ACC) at 14.1 points per game. With six starters returning, including the nation’s leading tackler Luke Kuechly at linebacker, the Eagles look solid enough that just a little offensive improvement would go a long way toward helping them soar back toward the top of the Atlantic Division standings.

Kuechly

Quotable quote: “If you start thinking about awards, you lose sight of what you came here to do. Our goal right now is to win games. If we win the ACC championship and neither Montel (Harris) or I win an award, we won’t care at all. If we win all the awards and don’t win the ACC championship game, we’ll be disappointed.”Junior linebacker Luke Kuechly.

Projection: BC has earned a reputation for being the model of college football consistency over the years, but that seems to be slipping since the Eagles joined the ACC. After topping out at 11 wins in 2007 under former coach Jeff Jagodzinski, their win total has shrunk from nine to eight to seven in three seasons under Frank Spaziani.

And last year’s mark was achieved only after BC rallied from a 2-5 start by winning its final five games. In doing so, the Eagles became the first ACC team ever to post a five-game winning streak and a five-game losing streak in the same season.

Spaziani

Some of that can be attributed to the instability of going through three coaches in a four-year stretch finally and the fact that Spaziani was forced to use too many true freshmen before they were ready last season.

But those problems may be a thing of the past now.

One thing the Eagles have going for them is talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball. And that’s always a good place to start, especially in a division that – with the exception of Florida State – seems to be wide open.

If new offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers’ influence brings about even a slight improvement in BC’s otherwise anemic offense, there’s no reason why it can’t reverse its recent downward trend, keep Spaziani off the hot seat and return to a bowl game for the 13th straight season.